New Beginnings?
by dapeyanddamommy
Summary: Tifa and Cloud have been friends for years, so she can forgive him... but can the children?


_**Note: I do NOT own final fantasy VII.**_

_**Author's Notes: this is around a few months after the movie. And it's my first fan fiction. Please read, and review. I want the cold hard truth! I'm prepared for anything. I will only continue if this gets good reviews and recommendations. I plan to make the rest of the chapters long, for some reason I like long chapters 'cause they explain more :D**_

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"So, is Cloud even going to show up to his _own_birthday party or what?" Yuffie asked impatiently.

"He should," Tifa responded, "Every note I've left for him is gone the next morning… I hope he's reading them."

"Yeah, well, he better hope for _his_ sake that he knows today is _his _birthday and _we're _having a party for _him_. I'll kick his ass if he doesn't show up." Yuffie pouted.

"Don't worry; I'm sure he'll be here." Tifa looked down at the birthday cake she just brought out of the fridge. _HAPPY 24__th__ BIRTHDAY CLOUD_ was written across the top along with a drawing that was supposed to look like his Fenrir. She sighed quietly to herself. For once she had hoped Cloud had taken notice of the post it notes she had been leaving every night before she went to bed.

"If he doesn't show up to this party we planned, he'll _never_ hear the end of it." Yuffie mumbled as she started setting up decorations around the apartment. The apartment is where Tifa, Cloud, Denzel and Marlene lived still above the Seventh Heaven bar. They had been there quite a few years, but Tifa didn't have the time to find a bigger place for the four of them while taking care of the two children and working full time at the bar. She was grateful that the city had been rebuilt enough for children to start going to school, that gave Tifa seven hours away from them to do what she needed to get done.

"Knock, knock" Came a voice from the main stairway, "I hear there's a party going on here today." Tifa looked up to see Cid standing in the doorway.

"Oh, hey, you made it," Tifa walked over to Cid and hugged him.

"Darlin', I wouldn't miss a birthday even if I was dyin'." Cid chuckled as he hugged her back. "So, where's the birthday boy?"

"I'm guessing he's out on a delivery. I don't know though… all I know is he sleeps here at night and is gone first thing in the morning. Some days he's here all day but locked up in his room." Tifa replied. She walked back into the kitchen and started preparing food for the other guests.

"Tifa! Tifa! Tifa! Look! Look! Look!" A little girl yelled as she ran up the stairs, "Look what I drew Cloud for his birthday!" Marlene stood in front of Tifa bouncing up and down with a drawing hanging from her hands.

"Marlene, you have to sit still so I can see it," Tifa laughed. She knew the children were going to be excited about seeing Cloud. They really liked Cloud. Tifa secretly knew that Denzel wished he was around more. Tifa put her hands on Marlene's shoulders; the child stopped bouncing but was still excited for her picture.

"Is that supposed to be Cloud?" Cid laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah it is!" Marlene started bouncing again. Tifa started laughing even harder.

"That's pretty Marlene, why don't you go see if you can't find a good place in Cloud's room to hang it?" Tifa said turning the child towards Cloud's door.

"Ok!" Marlene dropped her school bag and bolted towards the bedroom. Tifa heard the door bang open and Marlene scream.

"Um, I just wanted to tell you happy birthday?" Marlene said quietly as the person in the bed rolled over and looked at her. Tifa had run from the kitchen and was standing behind Marlene; Cid had also come to see what the commotion was all about. Cloud just laid there looking at the people in his doorway. Marlene had gotten over the initial shock and was now headed straight for Cloud and his bed. She pounced on him, "Look what I drew you for your birthday!"

"Ok, ok, thank you Marlene it's great. I'll get up, I'll get up!" Cloud said as he grabbed Marlene and was placing her gently on the floor. Cloud sat up in his bed and let his feet touch the floor.

"What's going on in here?" Yuffie asked as she walked up behind Cid and Tifa, "Oh, Cloud, You're already here! We thought you were gone!"

Cloud stood up and was walking towards the group of people, "I've gotten about thirty notes about today. I knew it would be hell to pay if I didn't show up." Cloud smiled at Tifa. Tifa smiled back, but meanwhile her heart skipped a beat. For years she's wanted to tell Cloud how she feels about him but she knew he didn't return the same feelings.

"Well, this is boring, I'm going back to decorating!" Yuffie bounced away.

"Yuffie, I wanna help!" Marlene said as she chased after her.

"Hey, you guys mind if I pour myself something to drink?" Cid asked.

"No, no, that's fine! There's a bunch of stuff in the fridge, help yourself." Cloud responded, Cid turned on his heels and headed towards the kitchen. Cloud locked eyes with Tifa. He slowly walked up to face her and reached behind her and hit the door shut. Tifa started feeling antsy and nervous; Cloud was so close and it was just the two of them.

"Happy…birthday…" Tifa choked as she felt her face start to warm up, "I didn't know what to get you for your birthday, you never told me what you wanted."

"Having all my friends here is going to be fine enough. Thank you for arranging this for me." Cloud took another step closer. He was so close that Tifa's breath caught in her throat when she felt the breeze from Cloud's breath.

"You're… welcome…" Tifa felt her face catch fire. Cloud smiled over the fact that Tifa was now blushing from head to toe.

"If I kissed you, would you pass out?" Cloud chuckled; Tifa's eyes became as big as saucers.

"Um… but… Cloud…" Tifa was interrupted but Cloud lightly pressing his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and began to feel light-headed. She was pretty sure she was floating. Cloud slowly pulled his face away, and Tifa opened her eyes to see him smiling at her, sheepishly.

"Oh good, you're still standing," Cloud chucked. Tifa didn't know if he was really amused or secretly nervous. Cloud wrapped his arms around Tifa's waist and pulled her in closer to him. Cloud lowered his head slightly and softly places his lips on Tifa's again, only this time more passionately. Tifa closed her eyes again as she began to melt into Cloud's arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders for support mostly.

Cloud pulled back just slightly and kissed Tifa's forehead. Tifa slowly opened her eyes and looked directly into Cloud's eyes. Looking deeply into each others' eyes, passion brewed and timidness boiled. Cloud smiled slightly and once more leaned in for a kiss. This one had meaning, this one had passion, this one had possession. Cloud's hands started rubbing Tifa's sides and back, pulling her as close to him as he could. Tifa's hands started playing with the hairs on the back of his neck. Years of passion had started to be released. There was no holding back on this kiss. With parted lips, Cloud slightly slid his tongue into Tifa's mouth, Tifa sucked on it.

All of a sudden a knock came at the door. Tifa jumped back out of Cloud's grasp. "Hey guys, Barrett and Vincent are here!" Yuffie yelled from the other side of the door.

"…Doesn't look like much of a party is going on here…" Vincent was heard from in the living room.

Tifa whipped around and opened the door. Yuffie was standing right there, she had been startled with the door opening so quickly.

"Sorry," Tifa said as she stood in the doorway of Cloud's room. Yuffie was just staring at her. Tifa's lips were all red and moist and her face looked like she had sun burnt.

"Oh. My. God. Were you guys _kissing?" _Yuffie exclaimed. Everyone stopped what they were doing. Cloud walked up behind Tifa and put his hand on her back. Looking around the room everyone had their eyes on Cloud and Tifa. Tifa noticed that Denzel had come home from school. Her whole body started to turn bright red again. Seconds turned into years, and Tifa felt like everyone had been staring at her for a lifetime.

Cloud started smiling. He knew Tifa didn't get embarrassed, but right now she looked really innocent. Cloud took his free hand and put his finger under Tifa's chin and moved her face towards him. He leaned forward and slightly kissed her on the lips. Cloud heard gasps from his party guests.

"I was startin' to think this day would never come. You two were made for each other," Cid broke the silence.

"Oh my gosh, you two are so cute together! If you get married I want to be the maid of honor!" Yuffie danced.

"We know what Cloud's getting for his birthday this year," Barrett laughed.

Tifa looked at Cloud with a confused look, "Don't worry," He assured her, "We'll talk about all this when we get a chance." He smiled at her. She smiled back. Her face started to turn back to its normal color. She nodded her head.

"I'm starving, let's get that barbie started!" Cid said as he clapped his hands.

"Yes, let's," Tifa said as she walked into the kitchen to pull out food and drinks for everyone.

The whole evening went by in a hit. Cloud spent most of the night chatting with his friends and smiling the whole time. Every so often Tifa would catch him looking over and him and smiling at her. All his friends came by. Cannot forget that the decorations Yuffie and Marlene had hung looked amazing. Yuffie and Tifa had also put candles on Cloud's cake and told him he had to blow them out; he did just to keep them from complaining and to entertain Marlene. Tifa really liked seeing Cloud with his friends and smiling. For as long as she had known him, she couldn't remember ever seeing him smile so much.

After the evening of fun, saying goodbye to everyone, and getting the two children into bed, Tifa plopped down on the couch in the living room. She still had to clean up the entire mess in the kitchen and out on the patio, but she was in no hurry to do it. She almost was telling herself it can wait til the morning. She laid her head back on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. The silence was soothing. She felt someone kiss her forehead. She opened her eyes and saw Cloud standing behind the couch looking down at her. She smiled up at him and he smiled back.

Cloud walked around to the front of the couch and sat down next to Tifa, "I don't have any deliveries tomorrow." Tifa looked over at him, she wondered what his next sentence would be; Cloud held up his arm and Tifa slid under it and rested her head on his shoulder. "We should do something tomorrow, as a family."

Tifa's body stiffed up, she lifted her head and looked Cloud straight in the eyes, "as a family? Cloud, I am one thing, but hanging out with Marlene and Denzel and giving them hope that'll you'll be around more is just going to hurt them when you go back to being gone all day."

"Tifa," Cloud whispered, "I don't want to be gone all day anymore. I want to be forgiven, someday, for what I have done to the three of you. It wasn't right of me. I shouldn't have left you." Cloud pulled Tifa towards his chest lightly and hugged her. Tifa slid her arm behind Cloud and hugged him back.


End file.
